At the fourth Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome last week, one message was clear: mine action is essential to Ukraine’s future. As governments, international organisations, financial institutions, and civil society came together to coordinate long-term reconstruction, momentum is building to align recovery efforts with humanitarian action. For communities across Ukraine, clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance is not just a technical step – it’s a lifeline to recovery.
Day in and day out, MAG deminers like Larysa, 26, from Mykolaiv, are working to clear the deadly legacies of war. Her journey shines a light on the personal courage behind Ukraine’s recovery – and the critical importance of sustained international support.
Larysa joined one of MAG’s US-funded clearance team in February 2024. Before becoming a deminer, her life revolved around music and dance – she studied the button accordion at music college and performed with symphony and folk orchestras. She also loved ballroom dancing – an art she hopes to return to one day.
When the full-scale invasion transformed her world, Larysa found new purpose on the frontlines of recovery.
Today, she is part of the effort to restore safety and stability to conflict-affected communities. Every day, she is clearing land littered with deadly items, allowing farmers to return to their fields, families to rebuild their homes, and children to walk to school safely. MAG’s teams – including Larysa’s – are transforming dangerous, war-torn landscapes back into places where people can live and work free from fear.
Alongside her clearance work, Larysa plays a vital role in delivering life-saving safety lessons to children, helping them understand the dangers and teaching them how to stay safe.
“I come in uniform, wearing a helmet and a protective vest, and carrying a detector,” she says. “We explain the dangers using simple language and visuals. We even show imaginary booby traps and dummy explosive devices in safe, controlled environments. These simulations help children learn what to avoid. Repeating this information is essential as they do not always grasp the danger at first – and the changing nature of threats mean we can ensure the messages being delivered are context-specific and always relevant.”
Thanks to international support – including funding from the US Department of State – MAG’s teams can clear land, protect and save lives, and bring hope closer to home every day.
As Ukraine’s recovery efforts progress, deminers like Larysa remain on the ground, dedicated and committed to making a real difference for future generations.
Learn more about MAG's work in Ukraine here.
